Gate or cut-off for cupolas.



Patented Aug.2,1910.

2 Ein. j

WITNESSES:

C". /z-@n/ ATTORNEYS .of Webb City,

REUBEN MARSHALL CLARK, 0F WEBB CITY, IMISSOURI.

GATE OR. CUT-OFF FOR CUPOLAS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2, 1910.

Application led April 27, 1910. Serial No. 557,899.

To all whom if may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN M. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident in the county of Jasper and State of Missouri, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Gates or Cut- Oifs for Cupolas, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement 1n gates or cut-olis for cupolas, and consists in certain novel constructions, and combinations of parts, hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the character specied, wherein the passage for the molten metal may be easily and expeditiously enlarged or decreased in size, while remaining approximately circular to offer a minimum of resistance to the passage of the material, and which may be reversed and used with the same result. y

A further object is to provide a device wherein the bushing and shoe are of hard metal, thus resisting wear the greatest possible length of time, and wherein the said parts may be removed and replaced when worn without removing the other parts of the gate.

Referring to the drawings forming a. part hereof, Figure 1 is a front view of the improvement, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, Fig. 3 is a central transverse section, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the gate support from the inner side, and Fig. 5 is a front view of the central portion of the gate. l

The embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings consists ofa frame 1 having a central opening 2, and provided near each end with a longitudinal slot 3, and at each end with an arc-shaped lateral rib 4, having at each end a stop 5.

A plate is arranged in the opening; the said plate comprises a central circular portion 6 and radial extensions 7, each of which is longitudinally recessed as at 8, the recess registering with the slot 3 when the plate is in place. The plate is provided in its central portion 6, with a circular opening 9, having an annular Groove 10 at its outer end.

A bushing 11 of hard metal is arranged in the opening 9, and an annular iiange 12 is provided on the outer end of the bushing for engaging the groove. The bushing is also provided with` a lug 13, which engages a notch 14 in the wall of the opening, to prevent rotation of the bushing.

A lever 15 is provided for carrying the closing plate or shoe, which is in the form of a disk 16 of hard metal, and abuts against the outer end of the bushing when closed, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The lever 15 is provided near one end with a transverse opening 17, through which passes a bolt 18, having a head 19, which enters the slot 3 before mentioned.

It will be observed that the recess 7 is of less width than the slot 3, and the head 19 of the bolt engages beneath the plate, to prevent withdrawal of the bolt. The opening 17 is of greater diameter than the bolt, which lits loosely therein, and a nut 20 engages the bolt outside of the lever, a washer 21 being interposed between the nut and the lever.

The lever 15 is provided near its center with a substantially circular portion 22, having segmental notches 23 on opposite sides, and with a central recess 24, at the center of the circular portion. The end of the lever adjacent to the opening 17 is provided with an arc-shaped rib 30, struck on a circle whose center is the opening 17, and the rib moves against the rib 4, which is struck on a circle having the same center, and the lever is limited in its movement by the stops 5.

The opposite end of the lever is formed into a handle 25, having a transverse opening 26 at its outer end, and a longitudinal reinforcing rib 27 is provided on the outer face of the lever. On its inner face and on each side of the recess 24, a pair of diametrically opposite lugs 28 are arranged, and the closing plate 16 is provided with radial notches 29 for receiving the lugs, to retain the plate in place, and with segmental notches 29a registering with the notches of the lever.

A spring 31 is seated in the recess 24, and bears against the outer face of the'closing plate to hold it against the end of the bushing. It will be evident from the description, that the lever is free to swing on the bolt 18, within the limits prescribed by the stops 5, and it may be reversed, the bolt being engaged with the recess 8 at the opposite end of the plate. The ends of the frame are alike, as are also the ends of the plate 6.

The face of the circular portion 6 of the ,opening is always arc-sliaped, so that the .and the bushing may be easily removed Vthe slot 3, and removed to the opposite side.

Vrameliaving a central opening, a nal slot on each side of the opening, and an Varc-shaped. rib at each end, said rib having a with a substantially circular enlargement,

vhaving an opening near one end, a bolt engaving the recess of the plate, and having lever plate is smooth as indicated in Fig. 5, and is provided at one side with a keystone shaped enlargement 32, whose face is Hush with the end or' the bushing as shown in Fig. 3, and forms a bearing surface for theclosing plate A when the said plate moves from over the opening 33 in the bushing.

From an inspection of F ig. l, it will be evident that the opening through the bushing is roughly triangular or pear-shaped, the largest end being upward, and the arrangement of the stops 5 is such, that when the lever is swung to open the gate, the said lever is stopped as soon as the bottom of the recess 23 clears the upper edge of the opening.

In less than a full and complete opening of the gate, the upper defining edge of the opening is approximately circular even with the smallest possible extent of opening movement oit' the lever, thus permitting the reest possible movement of the molten metal.

It will be evident that either the closing Aplate or the bushing may be easily removed when worn, without removing the frame l, which is provided with apertures 35 for receiving bolts or rivets to connect it to the cupola. The closing plate is merely lifted from its seat after the removal of the lever,

from 4the plate.

lVhen it is desired to reverse the position of the lever, the nut 20. is loosened, and the head of the bolt is slipped outwardly, until the bolt is disengaged from the recess 8. The :head may then be drawn out through I claim 1. A gate or cut-off for cupolas, comprising a frame for attachment to a cupola, said longitudistop at each end, a plate having a central portion fitting the opening, and a lateral eX- tension at each side overlying the inner end of the slot of the frame, and having an end recess of lesser width than the frame, the plate having a central opening provided with an annular groove at its outer end, and a notch in its wall, a bushing fitting the opening and having an annular flange fitting the groove and a lug engaging the notch, a lever provided intermediate its ends and with a lug on its inner face on each side of the enlargement, and with a recess intermediate the lugs, said lever lijead fitting the slot of the frame, and passing through the opening of the lever, said having at the end adjacent to the bolt.

`prising .opening therethrough,

an arc-sliaped rib moving against the rib of ing the lugs and segmental notches registering with the notches of the lever, and a spring seated in the recess and bearing against the disk, the enlarged portion of the lever having segmental notches in opposite sides registering with the opening of the bushing.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a frame for attachment to a cupola, and a plate seated in the fra-me and provided with a central opening, a bushing seated in the opening, said bushing having a lateral lug, and the wall of the opening a notch for engagement by the lug, a lever having a substantially circular enlargement intermediate its ends for closing the end of the bushing, and provided with segmental notches on each side of the enlargement Jfor registering with the opening of the bushing, a closing plateA detachably connected with the inner face of the lever, and having notches registering with the notches of the lever, means Jfor detachably pivoting said lever to either end of the frame, and means at each end of the said frame for limiting the swinging movement of the lever.

3. A device of the class described, .comprising a plate for attachment lto a cupola, and provided with a circular Opening, a bushing seated in the opening, the bushing being provided with a substantially pearsliaped opening and arranged with the' :large end of the opening upward, means for retaining the bushing in such position, a closing plate, means for normally holding said plate against the outer end of the bushing, and for'moving it above lor below the same, said plate having segmental notches in its upper and lower edges registering `with the opening, and means for limiting the extent of movement of the plate.

4. A device of the class described, comprising -a plate having an opening, means for connecting the plate toa cupola, a bushing in the opening, a closing plate for the bushing, supporting means yfor normally holding the plate against the end of the bushing, and for moving it to one side of the same, said plate having a segmental notch registering with the opening, when lmoved to one side of the bushing by the supporting means.

5. A device of the class described, .com-

a frame for attachment to a cupola, seated in the frame and having ,an a bushingsupported in the plate, a closing plate Jfor the bushing, a lever for supporting the closing plate, means for pivotally connecting one end oft' said lever with either end of the plate, and means at each end of the iframe Jfor limiting the movement of the lever.

a plate 6. In a device of the class described, a frame for attachment to a cupola, a plate detachably seated in the frame, and having an opening therethrough, a bushing supported in the opening, a lever, means Whereby said lever may be connected with either end of the frame, a closing plate for the bushing detachably connected With the lever, and a spring pressing the said plate toward the bushing.

7. In a device of the class described, a frame, a plate seated in the frame and having an opening therethrough, said plate having at each end a slot, a lever, a bolt ar- I ranged transversely of the lever at one end thereof and adapted to engage one of the slots, said bolt having a head for engaging the under face of the plate, a closing plate seated in the lever, and a spring pressing the closing plate toward the plate of the ame.

8. In a device of the class described, a frame, a plate seated in the frame and having openings therethrough, said plate having at each end a slot, a lever, a bolt arranged transversely of the lever at one end thereof and adapted to engage one of the slots, said plate having a head for engaging the under face of the plate, and a closing plate det-achably connected with the lever.

REUBEN MARSHALL CLARK.

Witnesses:

T. F. COYNE, A. D. HATTEN. 

